‘On The Silver Globe’: an epic existential sci-fi the government ordered to be destroyed
Over the years, many filmmakers have seen their work censored by forces beyond their control. From Freaks to A Clockwork Orange and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, politicians and government officials have often intervened to prevent certain stories from being told. Yet, true creativity has a way of finding its voice, no matter the obstacles. For Andrzej Żuławski, that determination meant overcoming significant barriers to finally release his 1988 existential sci-fi epic, On The Silver Globe.
On The Silver Globe follows a group of cosmic explorers who leave Earth to start a new civilisation and slowly begin to die while their children create a new culture and religion after a messiah is sent to them. The story was adapted from the novel The Lunar Trilogy, which was written by Żuławski’s uncle and began production in 1976. The film is known for the mesmerising mix of philosophy and science fiction, existing as an experimental and operatic piece of work that explores religion and colonisation. There’s a slow sense of dread as it weaves together the absurdist narrative and melancholic visuals, creating a singularly unique viewing experience.
However, the groundbreaking sci-fi film does not exist as a whole and is still largely fragmented and incomplete after the Polish government halted production for over ten years. The film nearly became consumed by the controversies surrounding it and never saw the light of day.
After achieving some success with Possession in America, Żuławski was invited to return to Poland to make another film. Seeing this as the perfect chance to adapt his uncle’s novel—a project he had long dreamed of—he began filming in 1976. However, the production came to an abrupt halt in 1977, as Żuławski clashed with the minister of cultural affairs, who took issue with the story’s political undertones. The film’s materials were ordered to be destroyed, and the production was cancelled entirely, leaving the project indefinitely incomplete.
Żuławski agreed to complete the film nearly ten years later in 1985, trying to piece together the footage they had with voice-overs and dubbing from the actors, with many sequences being unable to fully rectify and make complete. The film is nearly three hours, with strong thematical threads and a mystical feeling of dread as it tries to make a cohesive narrative out of shots and images that don’t always flow into each other. There are some scenes that have been completely censored, with footage of people walking around being placed over the top instead, creating an unfinished and haunting quality.
While the innovation and vision of Żuławski was interrupted by a hyper-controlling government, On The Silver Globe remains a surrealistic and jaw-dropping piece of work. It acts as a precursor to the likes of Dune with its innovative visual style and fluid narrative that drifts through you as though watching a dream.
Despite being hijacked and torn apart, the production still managed to find a way through these obstacles, showing the lasting power of creative passion and the power of storytelling.
